


Hearing

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [299]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adjusting, Deaf Sam, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, hearing loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 00:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8423872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: Sam loses his hearing due to a hunting injury. Cas is there for him.





	

Nerve damage, the doctors had explained, writing everything down for Sam even as they spoke aloud for Dean and Cas. The hit to the head hadn’t even seemed so bad at the time, but it had left him with nerve damage that decimated his hearing.

His right ear is completely deaf, his left with a fraction of its former capabilities that leaves it next to useless. At first, Sam had thought it must be temporary, the result of some weird hit, but the doctors had been careful to spell it out. Sensorineural hearing loss like his is almost always permanent.

Dean had taken it hard, to put it mildly. He’d all but withdrawn away from Sam for weeks before he got his act together. Sam couldn’t exactly blame him–Sam didn’t know how he would hunt anymore, if he even could, and the news wasn’t exactly welcome or comforting–even if Dean’s reaction did hurt.

Cas, on the other hand, seemed determined to make things work. _We’ll figure it out,_ he’d written. Sam had nodded, tiredly, but hadn’t really believed it.

Cas had, though. He had whole-heartedly believed they could make things work. He’d brought books and videos and websites on sign language for the both of them to share, and lipreading for Sam to study for himself. He pushed Dean into learning along with them, and Sam had a suspicion Dean only came around after a hard shove or two from Cas. 

He was there on Sam’s bad days, too, when he grew frustrated with his lack of hearing, with the changes to his life, when he thought he was getting the hang of lip reading only for a stranger to slur their words or half hide their face when they talked, when the sign he wants just wouldn’t come to him, when some mundanely typical task was suddenly something he could no longer do as he used to. 

Sam couldn’t hear Cas’ soft assuring words anymore, although by the breath fanning across his skin, he always assumed Cas still spoke them allowed, even as he simply held Sam, reminding him that setbacks weren’t the end of the world, that they would keep going. When Sam started to feel better, they would face each other, and sign back and forth until Sam was completely relaxed.

Today had been such a day. Sam now primarily acted as a researcher, figuring out hunts and solving problems, which is a good role for him, one he’s happy in. Only today he’d needed to call a local library for some information not yet digitally archived, and he’d dialed without even thinking. Not being able to hear his own voice enough to modulate it makes Sam visibly uncomfortable, but not being able to hear the librarian on the other end made the call a non-starter from the very beginning. Waiting around for Dean to get back was not good for Sam’s plunging mood.

When Cas makes it home, he takes Sam to their bed, holding him close, letting Dean take care of the research while he takes care of Sam. Sam slowly relaxes in his arms, under his touch, and Cas turns him so they can talk.

 _I love you_ , Cas signs, then reaches out a hand to stroke over Sam’s thigh.

 _I know_ , Sam signs back, mustering a grin. 

Cas sighs, but considers it progress. He leans in for a kiss, and Sam eagerly responds.

Sam doesn’t even break the kiss for the next sign, but Cas gets the gist of it regardless. _I love you too_. 


End file.
